For centuries, living afloat on Britain’s waterways has been a rich part of the fabric of our social history, from the fisherfolk of ancient Britain to the bohemian houseboat dwellers of the 1950s and beyond.
Whether they have chosen to leave the land behind and take to the water or been driven there by necessity, the history of the houseboat is a unique and fascinating seam of British history.
In Water Gypsies, Julian Dutton – who was born and grew up on a houseboat – traces the evolution of boat-dwelling, from an industrial phenomenon in the heyday of the canals to the rise of life afloat as an alternative lifestyle in postwar Britain.
Drawing on personal accounts and with a beautiful collection of illustrations, Water Gypsies is both a vivid narrative of a unique way of life and a valuable addition to social history.
- ISBN10 0750995599
- ISBN13 9780750995597
- Publish Date 30 April 2021
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint The History Press Ltd
- Format Paperback
- Pages 46400
- Language English